Device for current collecting with separate contact shoes

ABSTRACT

Current collecting device with shoes maintained in contact with feed rails wherein the contact surface is dihedral in shape to assure centering of the shoes with respect to the rails. Each shoe is divided into a pair of independent elements, each carrying one of the faces of the dihedral, to maintain contact with the rail by lateral decentering.

United States Patent [191 Payen [111 3,749,858 1 1 July 31, 1913 1DEVICE FOR CURRENT COLLECTING WlTl-l SEPARATE CONTACT SHOES [75]Inventor: Jean-Pol Payen, Grenoble. France [73 Assignee: Merlin Gerin,Societe Anonyme,

Grenoble, France 22 Filed: Jan.11, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 105,591

[52] US. Cl. 191/45 R, 191/591 [51] Int. Cl B601 5/00 [58] Field ofSearch 191/49, 55, 50, 22,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,918,540 12/1959 Mayer..l91/59.l

FRAME MEMBER 3,624,318 11/1971 Rekers 191/45 A 3,610,844 10/1971Blanchard 191/45 3,124,226 3/1964 Sprigings 19l/59.1

Primary Examiner--Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Richard A.Bertsch Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] ABSTRACT Currentcollecting device with shoes maintained in contact with feed railswherein the contact surface is dihedral in shape to assure centering ofthe shoes with respect to the rails. Each shoe is divided into a pair ofindependent elements, each carrying one of the faces of the dihedral, tomaintain contact with the rail by lateral decentering.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJULB] 191a R E MF 8 E FM 0000 I.../////A 4 0. F000 m DEVICE FOR CURRENT COLLECTING WITH SEPARATE CONTACTSHOES This invention, relates to a device for current collecting by avehicle traveling at high speed along a predetermined course, includinga current pick-up track consisting of fixed feed conductors in the formof rails, with which current collecting parts cooperate by friction, thecurrent collectors are carried by a mobile member in the form of acollector head which travels along the current collecting track and isguided by the current collecting parts; the contact surfaces of thecurrent collectors are dihedral in shape and are housed in a dihe dralsurface conjugate with the associated rail, the ridges of the dihedralsextend in the longitudinal direction of the rail in such a manner as toassure selfcentering of the current-collecting part and the sup portingcollector head with relation to the rail during displacement.

The applicant has already proposed, more particularly in the U. 5. Pat.application Ser. No. 78,413, filed Oct. 6, 1970, a current-collectingdevice of the kind mentioned, permitting the feeding of electric currentto the motor of a vehicle traveling at high speed, for example atseveral hundred kilometers an hour. At high speed, the rough places orirregularities in the track communicate impulses to thecurrent-collecting part or brush, tending to make the part glide abovethe surface, breaking mechanical and electrical contact. This breakingof contact is accompanied by arcs which cause wear on the shoes andcontact surfaces of the rails.

The present invention has as its purpose the overcoming of thesedifficulties and permits the realization of a current-collecting deviceby which the shoes are maintained in permanent contact withtheassociated rails at all speeds of travel.

The current collecting device according to the invention ischaracterized by the fact that the currentcollecting parts are eachdivided longitudinally into a pair of symmetrical independent elements,each carrying one of the faces of the dihedral which constitutes thecontact surface of the current-collecting part and which impels eachfractional element by elastic means, each independent from the other, tocontact the rail.

By dividing the contact parts or shoes into parts, their relative massis decreased, and their characteristics of oscillation or reboundingpermits them to follow irregularities of the contact surface. In case ofslight decentering of the shoe with relation to the rail, each of thefractional elements remains in contact with the dihedral surface of therail and maintains perfect electrical contact.

The feed conductors in rail form can likewise present an intervalbetween the contact surfaces in the manner described in theaforementioned application for patent. In this case the intercalary wallbetween the two halfshoes is advantageously prolonged in such a way asto make the contact surface on the shoes project and to penetrate intothe interval prepared in the rail to perform the function of ice-breakeror rail-sweeper. This projection can likewise serve as a spare guidingfinger capable of detering derailment of the collector head.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will arise fromthe following description of a method for placing the invention inoperation by way ofa nonrestrictive example represented by the attacheddrawing, in which:

FIG. I is a cross-section view of a current collecting track accordingto the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view in large scale of a conductor in the formof a rail and of the associated current-collecting part according toFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view analogous to FIG. 2, illustrating a variation in theoperation of the invention, including a rail at the contact surfacewithout interruption.

The current-collecting track is of the kind more particularly describedin the application for patent aforementioned and consists of threeconductors in the form of elongated rails, l2, l2 and 12", which extendalong the course of travel ofa vehicle (not shown), for example avehicle of the type supported by ground effect. A current-collectinghead 14, bearing the currentcollecting parts or shoes 16, 16' and 16" iscapable of traveling along the current-collecting track 10, being guidedmechanically by shoes 16, 16' and 16" in mechanical and electricalcontact with the associated rails l2, l2 and 12''.

There will be described now, with reference to FIG. 2, one of theconductors of track 10, for example conductor 12'; the other conductorsl2 and 12" may be identical or, on occasion, in the manner shown inFIG.l, the dihedral contact rails may be without interval to the right ofthe ridge. Conductor 12' consists of an assemblage of identical sections18 and 18', arranged symmetrically opposite each other and braced bykeys inserted between the two sections. The assembly is set in supports28 by draw bolts 34. The contact surfaces 22 and 22' of each profile 18and 18' are sheathed by coatings of stainless steel 24 and 24' andextend along the surfaces of a dihedral with its concavity orientedtoward the current-collecting piece 16'. The median part of dihedral 22and 22 is grooved in such a way as to form an interval 26 separating thetwo contact faces 22 and 22'. i

Two half-shoes 36 and 38 are each housed in a casing 40 and 42, and areeach subject to the action of a compression spring 44 and 46, permittingthe half-shoes 36 and 38 to contact the surface of the associated rail22' and 22. The median wall 48 of the guiding casing 40 and 42 extend inthe direction of the rail 12' and project from the contact surface ofthe two half-shoes 36 and 38, in such a way as to penetrate the space 26arranged between the two sections 18 and 18'. The collector shoe formedby the two elements 36 and 38 presents a contact surface in dihedral orin V shape which fits into the surface which is sectioned into dihedralcontact surfaces 22 and 22' of rail 12'.

The contact shoe elements 36 and 38 slide independently of each other intheir respective casings 40 and 42 and their reduced mass permits themto follow immediately the irregularities of the route and to maintainpermanent perfect electrical and mechanical contact. In the case ofslight lateral decentration, elements 36 and 38 are induced to take aposition which is slightly displaced with relation to each other, buteach of the elements remains in. contact with the feed rail I2. It iseasy to understand that a single shoe cast in one piece would beimpelled to separate from one of the dihedral surfaces in case of such alateral lag.

The part of median wall 48 inserted in space 26 with clearance could inaddition perform the function of emergency guidance capable of takingcharge of the guidance of collector head 14 in case of excessive lateralclearance.

The fractional shoes 36 and 38 can of course be used in association withthe feed rails, the contact surface of which does not present anydiscontinuity as is shown in FIG. 3. In this case the length of themedian will 48 is diminished in such a way as to avoid any projection tothe exterior.

The invention is not limited at all, of course, to the manner ofoperation described in detail and represented in the attached drawing,but it extends to all variants within the framework of mechanical andelectrical equivalents, especially those in which the rail will be ofdifferent conformation, for example, formed by an entire sectional bar.

What is claimed is:

l. A current collector adapted for movement along a longitudinallyextending current supplying rail defining a dihedral contact surface,said collector comprising a frame member, at least one pair of contactshoes symmetrically arranged with respect to the bisecting plane of saiddihedral contact surface and spaced apart substantially perpendicularlyto said plane, each contact shoe having a single plane contact surface,the contact surfaces of said pair being adapted for sliding contactengagement with the plane of said dihedral contact surface,respectively, guide means on said frame member to guide said contactshoes of said pair towards and away from said rail substantiallyperpendicularly thereto, and a plurality of resilient contact shoebiasing means, one for each contact shoe,'whereby each biasing meansbiases the corresponding contact shoe against said rail independently ofthe operation of the other biasing means.

2. A current collector according to claim 1, said guide means guidingsaid contact shoes parallelly to said bisecting plane.

3. A current collector according to claim 2, said planes of saiddihedral contact surface having spaced apart confronting edges, saidguide means comprising a partition wall extending in said bisectingplane and having a knife-shaped free end portion protruding between saidedges.

4. An electrical distribution and current collecting assembly for use inhigh speed drive arrangements, comprising:

a rail type stationary conductor having a pair of juxtaposed parallellyextending profile strips of conducting material, each having an outerand an opposed inner surface, the latter defining together a dihedralcontact surface;

at least one pair of contact shoes symmetrically arranged on either sideof the bisecting plane of said dihedral contact surface, the contactsurfaces of said shoes together forming a dihedral surface whichconforms to the dihedral surface of said stationary conductor;

a plurality of resilient contact shoe biasing means, one for eachcontact shoe, whereby each biasing means biases the correspondingcontact shoe against the corresponding one of said pair of profilestrips independently of the operation of the other biasing means; and

guide means for guiding said contact shoes in a direction of movementtowards and away from the dihedral surface of said stationary conductorand substantially parallel to the bisecting plane thereof.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein said profile strips arespaced apart to define a longitudinally extending gap between the facesof the dihedral contact surfaces thereof, said guide means comprising apartition wall between said pair of contact shoes and extending throughthe gap between said profile strips for guiding the contact shoeassembly and limiting lateral movement thereof.

a a: 1 a: a:

1. A current collector adapted for movement along a longitudinallyextending current supplying rail defining a dihedral contact surface,said collector comprising a frame member, at least one pair of contactshoes symmetrically arranged with respect to the bisecting plane of saiddihedral contact surface and spaced apart substantially perpendicularlyto said plane, each contact shoe having a single plane contact surface,the contact surfaces of said pair being adapted for sliding contactengagement with the plane of said dihedral contact surface,respectively, guide means on said frame member to guide said contactshoes of said pair towards and away from said rail substantiallyperpendicularly thereto, and a plurality of resilient contact shoebiasing means, one for each contact shoe, whereby each biasing meansbiases the corresponding contact shoe against said rail independently ofthe operation of the other biasing means.
 2. A current collectoraccording to claim 1, said guide means guiding said contact shoesparallelly to said bisecting plane.
 3. A current collector according toclaim 2, said planes of said dihedral contact surface having spacedapart confronting edges, said guide means comprising a partition wallextending in said bisecting plane and having a knife-shaped free endportion protruding between said edges.
 4. An electrical distribution andcurrent collecting assembly for use in high speed drive arrangements,comprising: a rail type stationary conductor having a pair of juxtaposedparallelly extending profile strips of conducting material, each havingan outer and an opposed inner surface, the latter defining together adihedral contact surface; at least one pair of contact shoessymmetrically arranged on either side of the bisecting plane of saiddihedral contact surface, the contact surfaces of said shoes togetherforming a dihedral surface which conforms to the dihedral surface ofsaid stationary conductor; a plurality of resilient contact shoe biasingmeans, one for each contact shoe, whereby each biasing means biases thecorresponding contact shoe against the corresponding one of said pair ofprofile strips independently of the operation of the other biasingmeans; and guide means for guiding said contact shoes in a direction ofmovement towards and away from the dihedral surface of said stationaryconductor and substantially parallel to the bisecting plane thereof. 5.An assembly according to claim 4, wherein said profile strips are spacedapart to define a longitudinally extending gap between the faces of thedihedral contact surfaces thereof, said guide means comprising apartition wall between said pair of contact shoes and extending throughthe gap between said profile strips for guiding the contact shoeassembly and limiting lateral movement thereof.